The Love of a Warrior (Book 1): Leaf's Dilemma

Chapter One

I don't want to wake up. I don't want to face everyone and just cry... like i always do these days. Most of the Stars have no idea how to comfort me. Some... they don't even want to deal with it. It is by sheer miracle that Tom puts up with my tears. Some days i wonder how come he has not left me yet... in a friend/family way anyways. I never felt any other feelings for him. I rather he be my adoptive brother.

Tom is a nice guy, as long as he stays on my good side. He never been on my bad side to begin with... He always brought me breakfast in bed, whether it was this situation or not, and sometimes dinner in bed if i napped a bit too late after a long day of play. Since i basically felt like i had my heart clawed out, he has been keeping up making sure i have food and that i get up and at least start the day. I ask him daily what the point is in getting up and starting a perfectly horrible day without him. He occasionally says that it is better to start the day without him so i can show the others that i can do my work without him, that i don't depend on him. Sometimes i wonder what the point is in asking him such questions, but his answers are always good.

I knew any minute now Tom would walk up the stairs towards my bedroom, either with breakfast in bed, or to ask if i am ready to join the others for breakfast. Times like these, i don't want to face the others without having a chance to collect myself. I stared at the ceiling, wondering if the stars above felt his absence like i did. It wasn't right what the people did to him, and they still continue. His father was no longer living, so he should go home to his mother. His father said he was sorry as his ghostly form, but i don't think a soul besides me was listening. Now, even though i had the message given, his father can't rest until he and his brother are returned home. I think it was obvious that i should tell his boys he said sorry as well. Most people i told it too wouldn't really believe that i contacted his father's spirit, but having spirits in our midest, it was normal for people to either dismiss it or believe it. I sighed, thinking i failed his father's wishes.

As i laid there, Tom entered with breakfast: pancakes with milk and syrup and chocolate syrup. I managed to sit up as he sets the tray next to me. He smiles, waving a tail in hello before handing me my breakfast. "How you doing this morning?" he asked.

I sighed. "Not so good," i managed, my voice choked. It was almost like i screamed his name last night. I did cry though, and many would think that i should have a small river in my bedroom. 

Tom sat on the edge of my bed. "I know you are grieving; it is hard," he said, looking at the door. "Many have said that they never want to go through something like this. They really shouldn't because it does have a toll on your heart and mind and body. I have seen many people lose themselves within days after losing their love."

I sipped my milk, taking a bite of pancake. Mixing in my chocolate syrup with my milk, i nodded. "Things like these seem like a bad omen," i say.

"I think myself that the situtation at school was warning us of something," Tom said. I knew he was talking about the Davin Thing. "Don't you think it is coincidental that the whole situation was leading up to something bigger?" he asked.

"I have been asking myself that for some time now, Tom. It is possible that the situation was a warning," I said. "There is no way it was coincidental, but it seems like it is. At first, i thought Jasmine started some thing up with Kevin's family, Daniel's family, and it led to this." I shook my head.

"It was possible at the time, but now, i think it was bigger than that," Tom said. "I... i never expected the guy to do that... abuse and rape? I saw the evidence, and i can't erase it from my mind... those things he used... i tried convincing myself that they were planted by Jacob because everyone knows how he is... but..." He shook his head. "The horrors i seen... StarClan better bless my eyes..."

"Insane, isn't it?" i ask, barley managing to avoid the syrup drop and catching it on the plate. "It is all so... weird. I can't explain it if i wanted to."

Tom nodded. "Well, it is time to start the day," he said, taking the tray once i finished. I snatched my chocolate milk though, because i didn't want it taken away. "Better get dressed. There is more stuff we have to do today." He walked out, his tail vanishing behind him. 

I sipped my milk and went into the bathroom. Once my buissness was done, i stared into the mirror. The saddest eyes i ever saw stared back at me. I splashed myself with cold water, washing my face of the syrup (i really don't care for syrup, but i would eat it with pancakes). Walking out, i walked into my large wardrobe, and i chose an outfit, mostly the pants and the blue shirt. I decided that it would be good to be barefoot for awhile. Once i was dressed, i walked down the stairs, and made my way to the Planning Room that Tails voted on for big plans. Inside, many cats were at work, including Tom.

Tom's whiskers twitched, mostly from anxiety. I stared over his shoulder at the computer he looked at, viewing different foster homes, boarding homes, and treatment centers. He would sigh when every place he checked came up empty. "Nothing," he said.

A few cats were looking through the case file. Papers were strewn everywhere as they tried to make heads and tails of it. I sighed, knowing that we stole that, and we made a replacement in its place. We printed the new papers for the case every day, knowing it was illegal to do so, but we had a few Stars within the police department and DFS. In this time, they had become valuable assets to us, passing along information. It was like we had our own spies within the law, which it definitly seemed that way.

"I hope we find him today," i said aloud, sighing a bit. Every cat nodded, Tom included.

"We'll find him," he said.